Rough Courage
by AndyTheAwesome
Summary: "I've never felt this affectionate towards a human before." I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. "You're in love." I looked at him in disbelief before laughing without amusement. "That's a good one. No, this is not turning into Twilight. I'll just stay away and hang out with Elijah a bit, that'll fix me." I grabbed my jacket from the chair and slammed the door.
1. Chapter 1

1864  
I awoke to the sound of banging on my door as the moonlight shined down into my room. I quickly opened the door in my nightgown as I stood face to face with none other than _the _Katherine Pierce. "How can I help you Ms. Pierce?" I was trying to be as polite as possible but it was quite difficult. Ever since Katherine came to live with us, my brothers are not what they used to be. Instead of their usual bonding relationship, they were hostile towards each other - wanting the girl for themselves - that girl being Katherine.

"No need for the formality, El. I'm quite aware how fond you are of me." She answered, sarcasm dripping from her words. "What do you want Katherine?" Instead of responding, she proceeded to raise her arm to her mouth - her face turning to what resembled a demon. Before I could cry for help, she was quickly behind me in a second, forcing her wound onto my mouth. I protested, trying to break the hold she had on me but she was inhumanly strong. I could taste her blood as it gushed out of her bite as she forced me to drink it. "You'll thank me later." She whispered in my ear before snapping neck as I saw darkness.

2009  
I was in Mystic Falls - my _original _hometown. There I stood, a 165 year old vampire who didn't look a day over 20. I took in a deep breathe as I smelt the mist on the street the rain had left behind. But I wasn't here to reminisce - I was here to found out who she was. I had already looked into her records, learning her name was Elena Gilbert. She was a dead ringer for Katherine although her mannerisms and styles were far more different. This Elena girl seemed to be a very positive and simple teenager, from what I observed, while Katherine was more of vain and extravagant girl.

But that wasn't the only reason why I was back in Mystic Falls. I was also positively sure Stefan and/or Damon would be here as well for the same reason. I had physically interacted with my brothers after that night Katherine killed me and well, let's just say it wasn't the best. I walked towards the driveway where Zach lived, the heels of my boots clicking against the freshly paved cement. I rang the door bell and waited patiently, a fake smile placed on my face. I don't _presume_ he knew me but I guess I would have to wait and find out. The door opened and a man around the age of thirty-five stood there. "Can I help you?" He asked. I guess I was correct - he doesn't have a knowledge of me.

"Hey, um, I'm a friend of Stefan's and I was wondering if he was here. He promised he would help me with my Math homework. I knida suck at it." I playfully laughed, trying to sound as much as a teenager as I could. "Uh," He murmured, looking behind him towards the stairs before turning towards me. "He's not here right now but I'll tell him you stopped by." He tried to close the door but I stuck my foot in the crack as I forced the door open. "No need. I'll make sure I give him the message personally." I smirked before grabbing Zach by the collar of his shirt and throwing him against an old, wooden cabinet in the corner - cracking one of the doors as he landed on the ground unconscious.

I walked over to him and swiftly put him over my back. I walked up the stairs and went through every room until I found the bathroom. I dropped him into the bathtub and locked the door before walking into Stefan's room. I chuckled darkly, spotting Stefan's 'journal's'. I grabbed the first one at the top, skipping to the last entry.

_"I lost control today. Everything I've kept buried inside came rushing to the surface. I'm simply not able to resist her. I had a plan. I wanted to change who I was, create a new life as someone new, someone without a past. Someone alive..._  
_They follow you. You can't escape them - as much as you want to._

I scoffed, throwing the the pale green book across his desk. I stood there for a moment, inspecting his room. There wasn't much in here that was interesting except for a medium sized bookshelf which contained about maybe thirty books. I walked up to it and slid my fingers across the beat up spines of all the books. The first shelf was organized by name, the second by year, and the third by author. I smiled; although my emotions were turned off, my love for book reading would always surface. I grabbed a random book and began fingering the coffee stained pages and smelling the faint smell of dust and mothballs.

I heard the door slam from downstairs and I knew who was here. "Zach?" He shouted, calling to his Uncle. I smirked as he continued to shout his name - worriedness coating his words. I heard his footsteps emerge close by and although I already knew he could sense my heartbeat, I continued to be silent. I heard his footsteps stop for a moment, before he ran at vampire speed into the room. "Long time no see, huh Stefan?" I asked, not even looking up at him as I flipped to the next page of the book. "What are you doing here, Elizabeth?" I looked up at him, studying his face. "You haven't changed a bit baby brother. Oh wait, I forgot. You're not supposed to change." I said with fake surprisement. "Sorry, the whole _vampire thing _always seems to slip my mind." I added, smiling sarcastically.

"_What _do you _want_?" He asked again, emphasizing his sentence. "Can't a girl come and visit to spend quality time with her baby brother?" He gave me a look and I could tell I wasn't convincing him. "I'm here for the same reason you are." I admitted, sitting on his desk while grabbing another one of his journals from more of the past times. "You still write in these stupid diaries, huh? You were always were one for sentiment." I smirked before opening the book and reading the entry aloud.

_"I have blacked out days. I wake up with stranger's blood. Places I don't recognize. With women I don't remember. I feel alive again. There are no rules here. Nothing matters anymore. Chicago is a place streaming with life and pulsing with people, I have only imagined meeting - drinking with as well as enjoying. There is a women who is intriguing. She has...hair and is...danger."_

"Wow, what a vague description here. But I'm guessing It's Lexi, right? I mean she is the one who got you out of your 'ripper' days." I muttered, my eyes fixed on the pages in front of me, pretending to be intrigued with his writing. Suddenly, a black crow came flying in through the room and I smirked, immediately knowing who it was. Stefan's eyes followed it and I knew he was thinking the same thing. A silhouette appeared in the corner on my right eye and Stefan could feel it too. He turned around, finding the person who I knew was here all along.

"Damon." He said simply, a grim look on his face. "Hello Brother." Damon replied, a smirk on his face. The crow cawked again from it's spot on the window ledge and I looked over at Damon. "The crow's a bit much, don't you think?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Wait until you can see what I do with the fog." He bragged. "I still won't be impressed." I muttered as I began reading Stefan's journal again. "Yeah, well not every vampire got the privilege of having their best witch friend casting a spell on them so they can read minds." This was true. Before she was killed, my best friend in the early 1900's was a girl named Serena, a witch from New England. We had become friends after I had saved her from being burned at the stake and I wanted nothing more than just friendship in return. She gave it to and eventually helped me out even more, giving me the ability to read minds. It wasn't an easy process but that didn't matter anymore. Her dying was a major factor in turning my emotions of.

"When did you get here?" Stefan asked Damon. "Couldn't miss your first day of school." He answered sarcastically. "Why are you here?" Stefan insisted. "Why are you both here?" He added, glancing towards me. "You both hate small towns. It's boring - there's nothing for you to do. Why are you here now?"

"I could ask you both the same thing question, however, I'm fairly certain your answers gonna be summed up to one little word-" Damon said as he walked closer to me and Stefan. "Elena." I finished for him. "Exactly." He agreed. "Took my breathe away - Elena - she's a dead ringer for Katherine." He smirked. "She's not Katherine." Stefan stated firmly. "Well let's hope not. We all know how that ended." I spoke from my spot on desk. "Tell me, when's the last time you had something stronger than a squirrel?" Damon teased. "I know what you're doing Damon, it's not gonna work." He reassured himself. "C'mon don't you crave a little?" Damon began pushing Stefan back with his hand roughly - Stefan protesting to his little teasing. I smirked as I watch the scene unfold in front of my eyes. "I said stop!" Stefan yelled before he pushed Damon and himself out the window. I still sat on the desk unfased with a smile on my face.

_Typical Damon and Stefan _I thought as I walked over to the broken window. "Aw, c'mon guys. They just finished remodeling." I joked seeing Stefan on the floor, groaning with Damon out of sight. I jumped out the and landed on my feet gracefully as I stood beside a confused Stefan. "I was impressed. I give it a six - missing style but it was definitely a surprise." He mocked. I helped Stefan picked himself up as he glared at Damon. "You know it's all fun and games Damon but wherever you go, people die. But not here. I won't allow it." He challenged. "I take that as an invitation." Damon smirked. "Damon, after all these years, can't we just give it a rest?" Stefan pleaded.

"He promised you an eternity of misery, remember Stefan?" I reminded. "El's right. I'm just keeping my word." He admitted. "Just stay away from Elena, both of you. I know what you want to do with her Elizabeth and I won't allow it." He told us firmly. "What do I wanna use her for, Stefan? Huh? What do you think I want to do with her? Maybe use her a torture puppet? Or maybe think of her as Katherine and take out all my hatred on her? Or maybe...I just wanna drink her blood." I shrugged. "By the way, where's your ring?" Stefan looked down at his hand before realizing it was gone.

"Oh man, the sun's gonna come up in a couple of hours and poof...you're ashes." Damon explained. If you don't know what daylight rings are, they're to protect vampires from the sun. Mine for example is a scarlet red with the initial 'E' on it. Stefan's is a deep blue ring with the initial 'S' on it and so was Damon's but instead with the initial 'D' on it. After a few seconds of silence, Damon laughed revealing the ring as Stefan hastily put it on before Damon grabbed Stefan by the neck and flung him against the shed by the house. Stefan lay weak on the floor as Damon told him he wasn't strong enough to beat him after he stopped feeding on humans. I heard a noise from the bathroom and realized Zach had finally woken up and was trying to find a way out of the bathroom.

"Huh, I think you both woke Zach up." I smirked. I began walking towards the house but Damon stopped me.  
"I got this." He winked, knowing what I had done to Zach. I squatted down to Stefan's level before chuckling darkly.  
"Why did you just stand there?" He asked, his voice hoarse.

"Because you stopped being my problem a long time ago."


	2. Chapter 2

"Pour me some more bourbon." I ordered Damon, holding out my empty glass. "Why don't you get it yourself?" He mumbled, thumbing through one of Stefan's books before throwing it on the ground, having no interest in the book. "Because-" I started but a voice in my head interrupted me. _Elena, don't make a fool of yourself in front of him. Just...act cool. _"What?" Damon asked, noticing the smirk on my face. "A little human by the name of Elena might just stop by."  
I looked at Damon for a moment before he nodded his head, advising we should fool around a bit. I put down my glass and the the book I was reading and ran to the door; I left it a bit ajar and hid behind a wall. I heard the bell ring before she knocked on the door and it opened slightly. She left it slightly open as she entered the room. "Stefan?" She called after not seeing anyone. Damon, opened the door slightly making it creak. She turned around, curious as to what caused the sound before noticing the door was wide open. After a few moments, Damon's black crow came in through the door. She turned around, following the bird, but instead ran into me and Damon.

"I-I'm sorry for barging in the door was-" She stuttered as she turned around to point at the door. "Open." She finished, slightly confused to find the door closed. She looked back to me and Damon with a confused look. "You must be Elena," Damon said first. "I'm Damon, Stefan's brother." He added. "And I'm Elizabeth, Stefan's sister." I introduced. She glanced back and forth between Damon and I. "He didn't tell me he had a brother - or a sister." She confessed. "Well, Stefan's not one to brag." I joked. "Please, come." Damon said, directing her into the living room. "I'm sure Stefan will be along any second."

"Wow, this is your living room?" She asked in slight amazement. I had to admit, the house was pretty impressive compared to any other ordinary house. "Living room; parlor; Sotheby's Auction." I listed. She observed the room a bit more, smiling. "It's a bit kitsch-y for my taste." Damon stated. "I see why brother's so smitten." He brought up after a few seconds of silence. "It's about time. Never thought he'd get over the last one - nearly destroyed him." I sighed. She looked at me, her eyebrows furrowed. "The last one?" She asked with uncertainty. "Yeah - Katherine - his girlfriend."

She pursed her lips and looked to the ground. "Oh, you two haven't had the awkward "ex's" conversation yet." Damon realized. "Nope." She replied. "Oops, well, I'm sure it will come up now," Damon said, "Or maybe he didn't wanna tell you because he didn't want you to think he was on the rebound." She nodded her head understandingly. "We all know how those relationships end." I added. "You say it like very relationship is doomed to end." She argued. "I'm a fatalist." I replied, raising one eyebrow. "Hello Stefan." Damon said without looking away from Elena. She turned around quickly, curious to see Stefan. "Elena," Stefan said. "I didn't know you were coming over." He glared over at Damon and then to me. "I didn't know you were coming over."

"I know, I should've called-" She started as she walked towards Stefan. "Oh don't be silly. You're welcome to come anytime, isn't she Stefan?" Damon smirked. I could hear Stefan's angry thoughts - but I don't believe I should repeat them for they contain more swear words than you can imagine. After a moment of Stefan glaring at Damon, I spoke. "You know, I should break out the family photo albums." I suggested. "Or some home movies but I have to warn you...he wasn't always such a looker." I added as Elena grinned slightly at me. "Thank you for stopping by Elena. It's nice to see you." Stefan's eyes were focused me and then Damon, switching back and forth between us. Elena looked a bit confused but I could tell she wasn't going to press the issue any further. "Yeah, I should probably go. It was nice to meet you, Damon."

"Great meeting you too, Elena." He grabbed her hand and kissed it. I snorted silently to myself, knowing Damon just wanted to agitate Stefan even more. "It was nice meeting you too, Elizabeth." She smiled. "You too and call me El." I shook her hand and smiled back, trying my best to hide my repulse. She walked up the stairs, but couldn't go up anymore since Stefan was in the way. She called his name twice until he moved, his eyes still only focused on the two of us. She walked out the door a bit hurriedly, probably trying her best to get out of here as fast as possible. "Great gal; she's got...spunk." Damon whistled. "She's definitely not Katherine." I added, Damon nodding in agreement. "You on the other hand look pooped." Damon joked.

Stefan didn't respond but instead walked further into the living room. "Let me guess, the hospital." Damon guessed, referring to why Stefan looked a bit drained. "Someone had to clean up your mess." Stefan responded. "Were you successful? Did the powers of persuasion work - because we all know it's not as effective when you had a rabbit salad for lunch." I said, raising my eyebrows playfully. "How long was Elena here?" Stefan questioned, meaning to change the subject. "Are you worried, Stefan? Scared that we might repeat the past?" Damon retorted. "Isn't that why you play the little game of High School Human?" He snorted. "No, I'm not playing a game." I stepped backward a bit noticing they weren't paying attention to me.

"Of course you are. We all know the closest thing you'll get to humanity is when you rip it open and feed on it." Damon teased. "You're gonna give me away, Damon." I grabbed the handle of the door and quietly opened the door. "Guess you'll just have to wait and see." I heard Damon say before I sped off into the woods with my vampire speed. I knew I had to sneak out because Stefan would question and try to stop me form whatever I was going to do. I wasn't going to do much really; just maybe walk around, maybe terrorize a few people or maybe have a little snack.

-

I sat next to Damon at a bar when a girl, maybe around seventeen, walked by and stared at Damon. "I know you." She spoke and grabbed Damon's attention. "Well that's unfortunate." She ignored his reply and continued to speak. "I-I don't know how, but, your face..." Her voice trailed as she continued to scramble her brain for a memory. _Where do I know him from? _I smirked and fixed my eyes on the blue marble counter, trying to make is seem like I wasn't listening to their conversation. "Excuse me, sorry." She apologized as she regained her composer. She walked away and Damon looked back a bit before turning face forward again. "A new beau of yours?" I joked as I took a shot of the tequila in front of me. "Nope, it's the actually the mess I left Stefan."

"You the one who took a bite out of her neck?" I already knew the answer but asked anyways. "What do you think?" He chuckled. Of course, Damon always went for the weak ones - women and druggies. I'm not saying women are weak but he goes for the ones that are. "Where are you going?" I asked as Damon got up from his seat. "I'm gonna go terrorize her a bit more, wanna join?" I smirked and nodded my head, ready for some action I had neglected to have in the last ten years.

-

"Not bad; have you been eating bunnies?" I joked as held the druggies mouth to muffle her cries. After Damon and I had terrorized her in bathroom, we took her here to the roof of the building and teased her by pretending to drop her over the ledge. Of course I wouldn't actually let go but I knew Damon was capable of doing that - so I held her instead. "Let her go." Stefan said as he took a cautious step towards us. I let go of the hold I had on her mouth to calm her down a bit. "Really? Okay." Damon grabbed her arm and pretended like he was going to drop her to startle Stefan and the druggie. I pushed her away from Damon and onto the floor next to Stefan, tired of playing games already. "Relax." Damon told me from my previous actions. "What's happening?" She whimpered from her place on the ground.

"We don't need her to be dead - but you might." Damon admitted. I knew the little game Damon was playing and he was probably going to make her remember what actually happened forcefully. "What attacked you the other night?" Damon asked, my theory being correct. "I don't know...an animal." She guessed, unsure of what actually happened that night. "Are you sure about that?" I asked with an intimidating voice. "Think really hard about it. What attacked you?" Damon repeated, kneeling down to her level. "Vampire." She said, after a few seconds of silence. "Who did this to you?!" Damon slightly shouted. "You did." She hissed, directing it to Damon. "Wrong." I stated.

"Don't-" Stefan protested. "Stefan." Damon whispered and the girl rapidly turned to look at Stefan, with tears in her eyes. Damon helped pick her up from the ground and stared into her eyes, ready to compel her. "Stefan Salvatore did this to you." He said, grabbing the sides of her head. "Stefan Salvatore did this to me" She repeated. "He's a vampire; a vicious, murderous vampire."

"Please, Damon, please don't do this. El, you gotta help me." Stefan pleaded but I shrugged my shoulders in response. I didn't feel sorry for him or the girl - I'm not even on the same side as Damon. We just have common interests. "Couldn't fix it before. Can't fix it now." I said, reminding him of the time he 'tried' to compel her at the hospital. Damon ripped off her bandage roughly, causing her open wound to bleed. Damon and I had already had a snack before this but we also knew Stefan was the one with less self-control. I shoved her towards Stefan and she fell in his arms. "Your choice of lifestyle has made you weak, Stefan." Damon stated, throwing the useless bandage at him. "A couple vampire parlor tricks is nothing compared to the power you could have - that you now need." Stefan grunted, the stench of blood was starting to overpower him. "But you could change that...human blood gives you that."

Stefan's fangs were starting to show but he quickly regained composure and he shoved her on the ground, trying to control his thirst for blood. "You have two choices, you can feed and make her forget or you can let her yell 'vampire' through town." I suggested. "So that's what this is about? You both wanna expose me?" Stefan asked, his voice strained. "No! We want you to remember who you are!" Damon shouted. "Why? So I'll feed? So I'll kill? So I'll remember what it's like to be a family again?" Stefan questioned, referring to me and Damon. "You know what? Let her go. Let her tell everyone that 'vampires' have returned to Mystic Falls. Let them chain me up and drive a stake through my heart...because at least I'll be free of you two."

I chuckled without amusement at Stefan's new demeaning manner. Damon was bluffing - he wouldn't actually make her remember. Damon would _want _her to forget so he could torture Stefan longer. There are people in this town that still remember us; that still know us. They would eventually figure it out and they would kill us without hesitation. Damon walked over to the girl and whispered in her ear but with my special ability, I could hear what he said.

_Relax, I want you to forget everything that just happened here. You don't remember anything._

He patted her head and she stopped crying, seeming more calm. Damon got up from his spot on the floor and walked back next to me. "Wh-what happened?" Her voice was hoarse from all the crying she had done. "Where am I?" I smirked as I knew Damon's plan had worked. "Ah, I ripped my stitches open." She groaned, feeling her open wound. "You okay?" Stefan asked. "I took some pills man...I'm fine." I rolled my eyes at her response. _Typical druggie. _She got up and as if nothing, left the roof to go back in the grill. Stefan looked between Damon and I, probably wondering why Damon had done that. "It's good to be home." I said, pursing my lips. "I think I might stay a while. What about you Damon?" I asked. "I think I might as well. This town deserves a wake up call don't you think?"

"What are you guys up to?" I could tell Stefan was worried, worried we would ruin any chance he has here of living a human life. But that idea ended long before it started. "That's for me to know and for you to - dot, dot, dot." Damon smirked. "Give Elena my best." He sneered before jumping off the roof and onto the street. "Hm, looks like your in for a LOT of trouble." I chuckled, watching Damon's figure disappear.  
"Hope you can handle it."


End file.
